1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel decorative shelving, more particularly, an assembly which upon installation matches the original wall surface and ensures not only strength and quality, but a nearly perfect match with the original wall surface.
2. Description of Related Art
It is common practice in the construction industry to build shelves in a home or office during the construction of the home or office building. However, having subcontractors build the shelving during the original construction is expensive and does not provide the homeowner or tenant with an opportunity to select the shelving of his or her choice. Conventional methods require that more than one trade is needed to construct a built-in shelf; plus, with a variety of other materials involved, it becomes extremely expensive to have a single shelf installed. In addition, quality and strength are somewhat compromised.
Often when shelving is put up during the original construction, the shelving does not always match the texture of the wall surface to which the shelving is attached. The contrast in the textures of the shelving and the wall surface leads to undesirable aesthetics. When installing wall mounted shelving, it is customarily done using brackets or struts to provide support for the shelving.
However, the prior art fails to solve the aforementioned problems; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,940 issued to W. K. Story on Dec. 28, 1965 describes a closet shelf and hanger assembly wherein the closet shelf and the rod onto which the hangers are hung is a single unit instead of separate independent units. The hangers are either hung directly on the rod or on hooks suspended from the rod. The construction of the shelf and hanger assembly is such that the hangers can readily traverse the rod onto which the hangers have been hung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,898 issued to Harold Jones on Aug. 20, 1985 describes a shelving structure that is assembled from a number of vertical struts and interconnected horizontal beams. The shelf is formed from metal sheet and consists of a rectangular shelf panel and flanges wherein the flanges are an integral part of the shelf panel. Each flange is so folded so as to provide a pocket, and a reinforcing element is positioned in each pocket to engage the underside of the shelf panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,302 issued on May 16, 1995 to Bradley J. Carlson describes a modular shelving system that includes a horizontal polygonal base shelf assembly, a horizontal top shelf assembly, a plurality of vertical support posts, and one or more intermediate shelf assemblies positioned between the top shelf assembly and the bottom shelf assembly. The shelving system is an improved "knockdown" modular, vertical, formed-wire shelving system that is especially well-suited for retail applications, and which may be readily assembled and disassembled without tools to facilitate shipping, storing and cleaning.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,675 issued on Dec. 5, 1972 to Gerald J. Bellasalma describes a cantilever shelf assembly that is mounted on a wall and consists of a shelf body having a reinforcing plate embedded in a molded synthetic resin having locking portions that extend through openings in the plate and in which the plate has a rearward extension formed with an upstanding flange that is removably received in the channel of an elongated bracket secured to the wall on which the shelf is mounted. The body of the shelf assembly is made of molded synthetic resin, for example, foamed polyurethane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,580 issued to Hans Almoslino on Oct. 1, 1996 describes a decorative covering for shelf brackets and standards. The blade-like horizontal brackets for supporting a shelf are connected to vertical standards. A bracket is made from sheet metal as an elongated, blade-like arm having mounting hooks that engage in selected slots of a vertical standard. The decorative covering is formed with a first groove for receiving a conventional shelf bracket and a second groove for receiving a standard. The decorative cover completely conceals both the horizontal blade and the vertical standard and enhances the appearance of a shelving system and provides the look of finished furniture.
United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 2,237,729 A, published on May 15, 1991, describes a supported assembly that comprises a generally U-shaped channel that is secured to a vertical surface and a sheet of rigid material, such as wood or glass that is inserted into the opening of the channel. The channel is fixed to the vertical surface in a horizontal plane so that the sheet extends substantially horizontally and is supported by the channel. The channel comprises an extruded aluminum member that has a U-shaped cross-section and resilient members, for example, EPDM gaskets mounted on each edge of the member to define the opening in the channel.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, there exists a need for decorative shelving that is self-supporting with no visible means of support and that is well-suited for holding and displaying items in both commercial and residential dwellings.